The lung is the master and mediator of what is called Prana or vital life/Spirit by Yogis, Ruach by the Hebrews, Pneuma by the Greeks, and Qi or Chi by the Chinese.

"It is in charge of inhalation and exhalation, and, in more general terms, the flux of coming in and going out."

-From Shen Jin'ao, Doctor Shen's Compendium of Honoring Life (Shen Shi Zunsheng Shu), 1773.

The lung is associated with the phase element metal, the color white, the direction west, and the season of autumn. Lung focuses in on the release of grief and deep- seated emotions that are inhibited by lack of vital breathing, resting patterns, and of course, how well we take care of ourselves through the changes of season--including keeping the body warm (especially head, chest and feet) and eating warmer foods. The "aspiration" of the Lung is for Purity.

The element of Metal and "Staying Power"

Metal is absolute. It can become so cold that you can get stuck to it. It can become so hot that merely being near enough will burn. Yet metal is also resilient. Its' strength is in its' holding capacity, and it gives its' descendants (those born in a Metal year) a strong armor, a taste for intensity, and a seemingly tough skin that belies an extremely sensitive interior. Metal people might feel their feelings powerfully but are able to maintain an even keel to the public eye. It is this reputation for steadiness that causes others to turn to those born in a Metal year to come through when it really counts. Tools for getting the job done are made from metal, such as knives, representing the power to decisively measure, to take what is needed and to cut away the excess which is not.

The weakness of metal people is letting the emotion of anger get the best of them. Under intense heat or stress metal melts. It can turn in on itself or explode and in an instant harm others irreparably.

Whenever artists throughout history have wanted to make an image last for "eternity" (or at least thousands of years), they have made made bronze or iron statues and figurines. In this way metal provides a gripping quality, helping to solidify that which is felt emotionally. The bronze must be melted in a smoldering crucible in order to pour it into a mold. Metal in this instance is the power to dare; once it is poured, it's a fairly permanent thing. With the responsibility of creating, we must be sure that what we are to create we are willing to stand by for many generations to come. Metal's teaching is to evolve confidence and faith by rising above the questioning mind and self-attachments into the field of knowledge, which comes from experiencing truth as unity, truth as immanence.

Physical symbols and symptoms Autumn/Lung work:

We carry over the effects of our proactive or repressive expressions of the late summer afflictions of worry into autumn, where the contemporary concerns and ancient issues that were abandoned or put on a shelf "for later" often get stuck as damp Lung conditions. Late autumn can source these maladies out of us by creating the conditions for release, either through colds and respiratory infections, the desire to cry (which can be a blessing), or depression. Many find that they are affected also by the lower incidence of sunlight that is starting to happen and struggle to keep regular mind-body health practices in sync. However, it can also provide deeper self-reliance to discover through that same struggle that there is the commitment and willpower within, revealed through keeping a rhythm of practice and self-care. We are able to be a greater resource for ourselves and others through this noble effort (abhyasa), burning in order to shed Light (tapas) and faith (sradda).

Precious Practices: PRANAYAMA

Please click on the link for a visual demo of Kapala Bhati.
Thanks to Yoga Vidya, Denmark for the video!

Kapala Bhati or "Skull Shining" pranayama is sometimes called "Breath of Fire". It is done by exhaling all of the breath out through the nose and then repeating a sharp, forceful exhalation from the diaphragm, doing repetitions of 30-100 at a set. This practices creates vigor in the body and mood and provides a cleansing internal heat. It sharpens the mind, invigorates the internal organs and strengthens abdominals, and assists in building stronger immunity through strengthening the lungs and heart. It ensures greater bodily and emotional health and clarity when practiced regularly-by supplying larger amounts of oxygen, making the lungs more elastic, and assisting in the release of stagnant air trapped in the base of the lungs. The practice of Kapala Bhati frees the lungs from toxins stuck in the villi or hairlike fibers which inherit the oxygen we breathe.

Antara Kumbhaka -Internal ("Sky Holding") Breath Retention. This practice is done after rhythmic Yogic breathing (even inhale/ exhale ratio) is accomplished. A very beginning level, basic practice is to do the following: one inhales gently and fully and then holds the breath in for a time equal in length to the inhale before exhaling, for example- breathe in 8, hold 8, exhale 8. Then, practice the same, but with the retention and exhale breath twice as long as the inhale- inhale 8, hold 16, exhale 16. You will eventually be working up to breath retention that is four times longer than the inhale. One can then do this practice by breathing in 8, holding 32, exhaling 16.

Bahya Kumbhaka - External ("Outer Space") Breath Retention. This practice is done after mastery of Yogic breath and Antara Kumbhaka. It is done by breathing out completely withthe exhale and holding out the breath for a time before inhalation. This is generally more challenging but also revealing of how we feel without the consolation of an instant breath in. This practice imparts knowledge of how to "change rooms in your mind for a day" as the poet Rumi said- to deeply relax and find discipline and choice with the quality of breath and within the mind, to be free from impulsivity and find faith through exploring the uncertainty or "emptiness" feeling of holding the breath out, which actually has its' own kind of fullness and luminosity all the same.

With the downward force and vacuum effect of our breathing, Lung also has an effect on the Large Intestine. It is paired with the large intestine in Chinese medicine due to it's dependence on the movement of air pressure currents in the body, in this case peristaltic movement which is controlled by gas. The Large Intestine in Ayurveda (Indian medicine) governs Vata, the Air element, responsible for the harmony and flexibility of the nervous system, mood, joints, and movement.

I leave you with wishes for victorious health, love and contemplations in the sweet deep Autumn here with a few more strands of stand-out words from a fellow I found on the internet while researching for this writing named Eric Grey. His excerpt lends an archetypal feeling, like a Tarot card, to this ancient confluence of Chinese wisdom, and seems appropriate for Election time to boot...

"The Lung: Minister of Purity

Name and official : Lung is called Fei in Chinese. The term Fei is related etymologically to a word Pei that anciently was a term for the insignia that ranked officials would wear on the outside of their garments to denote their rank. Through this and many other symbols, I have come to associate the Lung with the face we show to the world and the external surface of our body. It’s also a clear relationship to the official of the Lung, the Minister or Prime Minister.

As the minister, Lung gathers Qi from the air that we breath on behalf of the entire body and distributes it where it is needed. When this function of Lung is damaged, disorders of Qi or spirit imbalance are the result. For instance, a Lung deficiency can create symptoms like fatigue and difficulty moving about, a pervasive feeling of grief or dampness, or acute health issues such as coughing and respiratory disorders and excess mucus.

The Minister is the functional arm of the Emperor in the world. The Emperor (Heart) proclaims the direction of the nation (body) and the Minister figures out the practical implementation of the edict."